Fuel hike: Ebonyi NLC/TUC order workers to down tools tomorrow

Ebonyi state chapters of Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have directed workers in Ebonyi state to proceed on indefinite strike on Wednesday 18th May, should Federal government ignore the calls to revert the new pump price.
In a joint press briefing by the leadership of NLC and TUC in the state led by Comrades Ikechukwu Nwafor and Nwonu Michael, they noted that the strike would be total and would affect all cadres of workers.
They also noted that the order was in compliance with the position already taken by the national leadership of the two unions, adding that they would employ every mechanism within their disposal to ground activities of government in the state indefinitely until their demand was met.
“We have therefore resolved that all workers in Ebonyi state should proceed on indefinite strike should FG refuses to revert the new pump price on Wednesday 18th May, 2016,”said the labour leaders.
They recalled that on January, FG increased electricity tariff by 45 percent and few months later, it has increased the fuel price by 67 percent adding that, looking at Ebonyi and some other states where workers’ salaries are not paid in full and their welfare not given attention, it was insensitive to increase fuel price.
They noted that continual fall of naira against dollar had since brought enough hardship to Nigerians and cannot afford to withstand an additional hardship.
“We are going to down tool the entire Ebonyi state based on these reasons we have stated in compliance to the directive from our national secretariat,” they submitted.
They however, warned workers against defying the order as the Union would ensure that defaulters, mindless of who is involved, would be severely penalized.